The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-09-03

ana ASKED MN where ne naQ got the
money then in his possession, and sar-
castically asked if such money grew on
bushes. Being answered in careless
manner he put his finger cunningly to
his nose, and closely scrutinizing
Suarez, remarked aloud that the latter
had blood on his face. and that his APP
pearance was somewhat suspicious.
At this juncture the man who had
found Suarez in the ditch put in an APP
pearance and proceeded to relate in the
most picturesque style, how he found a
strange man with his skull fractured
and his pockets turned inside out, lying
in the ditch. quite dead. He stated he
went for assistance to the village, and
on inquiring at the inn there he had
discovered that man dressed answer
ing the description of Suarez had been
there and had displayed quantity of
money. Having obtained assistance.
he returned to the spot where he left
the murdered stranger. but. instead of
finding him, he discovered, that during
his absence, the body had been stripped
and removed, and, as he believed.
buried, and the clothes were lying
scattered about the ditch.
Suarez listened to all with an amused
smile, and when the man had finished
his story Suarez observed that the
group Of men were casting inquisitive
looks at him, and he heard the words
dollars" and ''blood" whispered
among the men. At length the man
who first approached Suarez left his
companions. and going out Of the inn
returned shortly after with constable,
and without further ceremony handed
Suarez over in charge Of the official.
who Immediately proceeded to search
his prisoner. When the prisoners pun Sc
containing the money was produced
the man who found the murdered
stranger set up a shout, and fixing his
eyes on the blood on the prisoners
face. said he was sure he was the MUIR
derer and robber. and at the proper
time would tell all about it. No as
scrtion or explanation of Suarez could
serve him one jot, and he was finally
conveyed to the Jail and locked up.
The next day Suarez was conducted
after much peril into the presence of
the village magistrate. His accuser
was placed before him. and in blunt.
straightforward manner told his story
how he was passing along the road;
how he found the stranger with q
fractured skull lying dead, and covered
with blood and brains; how he went for
assistance, and on his return found the
clothes scattered about and the body
removed. Suarez's own money and
his own blood on his face was given in
evidence against him; the story was
complete in all its details. and the
investigation ended in the prisoner be-
ing committed to the county Jail to
await trial for the willful murder of .
person unknown. and the constable
was ordered to make diligent search
for the body.
Shortly after his commitment, as if
all circumstances conspired against
him. the people, after an active search.
succeeded in discovering the body Of
strange person, almost in state of
nudity, in canal. which ran along
the back of the town, upon which the
coroner sat in due form; and thus, to
the satisfaction of his prosecutors, a
chain Of evidence was made out sufi-
GENTLY strong to put Suarez on trial.
Let those good people. who preach
so strongly in favor of the comfortable
feelings arising from conscious in
nocence. and build so much on inward
fortitude, and who join in the declar-
alton of the poet that "what is, is
right'-let them place themselves for
a moment in Suarez's position-let
them feel the horrors of man charged
with his own murder, and unable to
convince the judges that he is actually
in existence. How obtuse are the in
tellects of many worthy people, who,
in the eager pursuit of truth, hug to
their hearts any antic that may chance
to assume the garb of that rarely dis
covered parsonage!
Already Suarez fancied in his gloomy |
reflections that he heard the jury de-
clare him guilty; and in his dreams he |
saw the fatal black cap placed over his !
head. Then he fancied he heard his |
last dying speech and confessions |
chanted about the streets. and posted |
on cottage walls, and children taught |
fromreading them the necessity of vir-
tue. Then horrors of an ignominious
death-the halter-the gallows-the
shouts of monster" murderer" etc.,
all echoing around him in his imagina-
ton.
At length the accused man was
placed on trial. His own conviction of |